Have you ever had anyone tell you to mind your own business? Would you be surprised if God said that to you? Well, He did. The church in Thessalonica was struggling with members getting into each other’s “business.” In the second letter of Paul to this church, he wrote, “We hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies” (2 Thess. 3:11). This was after he wrote to them in the first letter to “aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands” (1 Thess. 4:11).
There is a tricky balance between being the Christian who loves (1 Pet. 1:22), edifies (1 Thess. 5:11), exhorts (Heb. 3:13) and admonishes (Rom. 15:14)—all of which God commands us to do—and being the Christian who is a busybody and getting into everybody’s business. Here are three questions to consider to try to determine if your involvement is proper—“Does this person want my help? Is this a matter of life and death? Is this a matter that could jeopardize someone’s eternity in heaven?” If the answer to these three questions is “no,” then you should consider minding your p’s and q’s. If any answer is “yes,” proceed with loving care.